N.R. Jenzen-Jones ARES continues to conduct significant data collection and analysis pertaining to the illicit sale of arms and munitions via social media and communications platforms in conflict and post-conflict zones. From time to time, we will be featuring items of interest uncovered during our research, here on The Hoplite. In late July, ARES recorded
N.R. Jenzen-Jones US, Australian, and French naval forces operating in the northern Indian Ocean have seized thousands of small arms and light weapons in 2016, likely bound for Yemen. Whilst initial reports indicated the first two seizures were believed to be headed for Somalia, the types of weapons seized indicate that the vessels almost certainly
Yuri Lyamin with Kenton Fulmer & N.R. Jenzen-Jones The 9M113 Konkurs missile is increasingly commonplace in current and recent conflict zones, and represents a capable, long-range system for its age. In recent months, Konkurs systems have been employed by Houthi forces in Yemen, pro-government fighters and separatist forces in Ukraine, and various Syrian groups, including
The ARES Team Images and video of FSA-aligned Syrian rebel units fighting in the Aleppo area, shared on social media platforms, as well as images of weapons captured by Iraqi security forces during the advance to Fallujah, have shown the use of the Bulgarian Arsenal MSGL revolver-type grenade launcher by various groups in the region. In addition to the MSGL, Iraqi security
Galen Wright During an offensive southwest of Syria’s Aleppo on 17 June 2016, anti-government fighters from Ajnad al-Sham recovered an unknown number of Iranian M18A2 directional anti-personnel landmines. Images of these were posted to the group’s Twitter account the next day. These are only the latest Iranian arms to be captured on this front, underscoring the
Graeme Rice & N.R. Jenzen-Jones ARES continues to conduct significant data collection and analysis pertaining to the illicit sale of arms and munitions via social media and communications platforms in conflict and post-conflict zones. From time to time, we will be featuring items of interest uncovered during our research, here on The Hoplite. This rare
Jonathan Ferguson Images posted to personal Facebook pages of members of the Syrian pro-government Suqur al-Sahara (‘Desert Falcons’) non-state armed group prominently feature fighters posing with the Belgian-made FN ‘Minimi’ 5.56 x 45 mm light machine gun (LMG). Suqur al-Sahara has been described as an “elite” formation, primarily consisting of former soldiers. The weapon in
Ali Richter Update 160328: Further evidence of the use of the Type 73 GPMG in Yemen can be seen here. The North Korean Type 73 GPMG has been previously documented in Iraq and Syria, and recently observed in Yemen. Images from Iraq show the Type 73 primarily in the hands of Iraqi Shi’a militias, particularly Badr Brigade
Galen Wright Iraq kicked off the 5th Defense, Security, & Aviation Fair in Baghdad this Sunday, with participating representatives from 108 countries, perhaps the most notable of which was Iran. According to a video issued by Iran’s state broadcasting company (IRIB), Tehran is now actively marketing a new top-attack version of its Toophan (‘typhoon’) anti-tank
Kenton Fulmer The suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (SVBIED) is broadly considered to have served as the makeshift ‘precision guided munition’ (PGM) of Islamist extremists for the last decade, with their frequent and effective use in the tactical operations of the Islamic State (IS) serving to highlight the phenomenon in the media. Due to the decisive
